1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to printing apparatuses and terminal apparatuses, and more particularly to a printing apparatus that is incorporated into bank automated teller machines (ATMs), cash dispensers, and kiosk terminal apparatuses and used to issue receipts and tickets and a terminal apparatus including such a printing apparatus.
A printing apparatus issuing receipts employs heat-sensitive roll paper as paper for printing. Especially, in the case of being incorporated into an unmanned ATM, the receipt-issuing printing apparatus is provided with a presenter unit collecting a receipt left behind inadvertently by a customer so that the next customer can not see the left-behind receipt.
Downsizing is a requirement for the ATMs in terms of space for installation. Accordingly, the receipt-issuing printing apparatus incorporated into the ATMs is required to become smaller in size.
The receipt-issuing printing apparatus has a receipt preparation mode for preparing a receipt by performing printing on paper and finally cutting off the printed part of the paper, a receipt ejection mode for ejecting the receipt for a customer, and a receipt collection mode for collecting the receipt left behind in case the customer forgets to take the receipt. If the receipt is ejected with printing being performed, the customer may pull the receipt while printing is still being performed, thereby causing a problem. Therefore, the receipt ejection mode is started after printing is completed.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a conventional receipt-issuing printing apparatus 10. X1-X2 represents the directions of length and Z1-Z2 represents the directions of height. In the printing apparatus 10, a paper roll containing part 11, a printer unit 12 having a printer part and a cutter part, and a presenter unit 13 are arranged in the X1 direction from the X2 side. The presenter unit 13 has an opening 14 on the X2 side and a receipt ejection slot 15 on the X1 side. The opening 14 serves to receive and discharge receipts.
As shown in FIG. 1, the receipt-issuing printing apparatus 10 is incorporated into an ATM main body 20. The receipt ejection slot 15 opposes a receipt issuance slot 21. A receipt collection box 22 is provided in a position to receive the receipt ejected from the opening 14. A paper roll 30 is set in the paper roll containing part 11.
The printing apparatus 10 operates in the following manner.
Receipt Preparation Mode
The printer unit 12 performs printing on paper 31 while pulling the paper 31 from the paper roll 30, and cuts the paper 31 when completing printing, thereby preparing a receipt 35. In the process of preparation, the receipt 35 has its leading edge first entering the presenter unit 13 through the opening 14 and is delivered toward the receipt ejection slot 15. During printing, the presenter unit 13 operates at a low speed and delivers the paper 31 sent out from the printer unit 12 toward the X1 direction without pulling the paper, 31 that is, without affecting the printer unit 12.
Receipt Ejection Mode
When printing is completed, the presenter unit 13 operates at a given speed and conveys the receipt 35 in the X1 direction. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the presenter unit 13 causes the receipt 35 to protrude, except for its trailing edge part, from the receipt ejection slot 15 and the receipt issuance slot 21, thereby completing ejection.
Receipt Collection Mode
If a customer forgets to pick up the receipt 35 so that the receipt 35 remains protruding from the receipt issuance slot 21 even after a given period of time passes since the completion of ejection, the presenter unit 13 operates in the reverse direction and conveys the receipt 35 toward the X2 direction back into the receipt issuance slot 21. The conveyed receipt 35 is ejected from the opening 14 and collected into the receipt collection box 22.
In the printing apparatus 10, the paper roll containing part 11, the printer unit 12, and the presenter unit 13 are arranged from the X2 side toward the X1 direction. Therefore, the height H1 of the printing apparatus 10 is small, but the length L1 thereof is large.
Since the presenter unit 13 is arranged side by side with the printer unit 12, the length of the issued receipt 35 is determined by the length L2 of the presenter unit 13. That is, the maximum length of the issued receipt 35 corresponds to the length L2 of the presenter unit 13. In order to enlarge the maximum length of the issued receipt 35, it is necessary to enlarge the length L2 of the presenter unit 13. However, if the length L2 of the presenter unit 13 is enlarged, the length L1 of the printing apparatus 10 becomes larger so that the printing apparatus 10 becomes bulky.
Further, when the printing apparatus 10 is incorporated into an ATM, the position of the printing apparatus 10 is limited to that shown in FIG. 1 without any degree of freedom. When the printing apparatus 10 is incorporated into an ATM in the position shown in FIG. 1, the dimension L3 of the ATM main body 20 also becomes larger.
In addition, the paper roll containing part 11 receives the paper roll 30 from above. Therefore, a top plate 22 of the ATM main body 20 is opened before the paper roll 30 is set inside the paper roll containing part 11 from above. Accordingly, a space S for performing operations necessary for setting the paper roll 30 is required above the ATM main body 20. If the ATM main body 20 includes the space S, the height of the ATM main body 20 becomes large.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus in which the above-described disadvantages are eliminated and a terminal apparatus including such a printing apparatus.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a downsized printing apparatus having more latitude in being incorporated into a terminal apparatus and therefore providing more freedom in designing the terminal apparatus.
Another more specific object of the present invention is to provide a terminal apparatus employing such a printing apparatus.
The above objects of the present invention are achieved by a printing apparatus including: a paper roll containing part containing a paper roll; a printer unit provided side by side with the paper roll containing part, the printer unit printing information on paper pulled from the paper roll and cutting a piece off the pulled paper on which piece the information is printed; and a presenter unit, the presenter unit including a reception opening formed on an upper side thereof and receiving the cut piece of paper delivered from the printer unit, first and second ejection openings formed on opposite ends of the presenter unit and ejecting the cut piece of paper, and a conveying mechanism conveying the cut piece of paper between the first and second ejection openings, wherein the presenter unit is provided below said paper roll containing part and the printer unit so that the cut piece of paper is delivered into the reception opening.
According to the above-described printing apparatus, the reception opening receiving the cut piece of paper delivered from the printer unit is formed on the upper side of the presenter unit. Therefore, the presenter unit is allowed to be provided below the paper roll containing part and the printer unit. Accordingly, compared with a configuration where the paper roll containing part, the printer unit, and the presenter unit are linearly arranged side by side, the printing apparatus is increased in height but reduced in length so as to be reduced in overall size. Further, the length of the cut piece of paper is not restricted by the length of the presenter unit. Therefore, the cut piece of paper may be issued with a length irrespective of the length of the presenter unit.
Further, since the presenter unit is provided below the paper roll containing part and the printer unit arranged side by side, one of the first and second ejection openings may be used for ejecting the cut piece of paper outside and the other of the first and second ejection openings may be used as an opening for ejecting the cut piece of paper to a collection box. Therefore, the printing apparatus may be incorporated into a terminal apparatus in two different positions, thus providing more freedom in designing the terminal apparatus.
The above objects of the present invention are also achieved by a terminal apparatus including a printing apparatus that includes: a paper roll containing part containing a paper roll; a printer unit provided side by side with the paper roll containing part, the printer unit printing information on paper pulled from the paper roll and cutting a piece off the pulled paper on which piece the information is printed; and a presenter unit including a reception opening formed on an upper side thereof and receiving the cut piece of paper delivered from the printer unit, first and second ejection openings formed on opposite ends of the presenter unit and ejecting the cut piece of paper, and a conveying mechanism conveying the cut piece of paper between the first and second ejection openings, wherein the presenter unit is provided below the paper roll containing part and the printer unit so that the cut piece of paper is delivered into the reception opening.
The above-described terminal apparatus including the printing apparatus according to the present invention is reduced in size compared with the conventional terminal apparatus, and is provided with more design freedom.